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Saturday, January 06, 2007

Local Solutions

Who's buying this?From Eric's blog:An Open Letter to the Progressive Community from Local Solutions

[PLEASE NOTE: We wrote this letter some time ago, but we wanted to wait until the final count for every campaign was tallied and certified before sending it out. As you well know, the process took longer than everyone expected, and then with the holidays right around the corner, we elected to send this message out in the New Year. Our intent is to lay to rest questions from the past and offer a place to begin discussion for the future.]

Dear friends, We are aware that there has been much speculation and question regarding the role of Local Solutions in the November elections. We are deeply disappointed with the results and frustrated that we at Local Solutions were unable to do more to help. We believe the Eureka elections could have been won by focusing on grassroots mobilization with a strong emphasis on coordination and cooperation between campaigns in order to make the task manageable and more enjoyable.

We have spent some time considering how to talk about the issues that concern us, and how to engage the broader progressive community in this conversation. We would like to hear your ideas for building local political campaigns with a spirit of cooperation and respect and your suggestions for what role Local Solutions should play in this work.

Local Solutions was formed to provide tools and expertise for grassroots progressive political organizing. We believe that ethics, integrity, and the process of engaging and empowering voters are just as important as a victory on Election Day.

Elections, particularly in Humboldt County, are won by mobilizing hundreds of volunteers talking to thousands of their neighbors. By focusing on voter outreach and involvement (rather than media or fundraising), elections can be a way to develop new leaders and teach citizens how to mobilize each other. At Local Solutions we care most about building a grassroots movement for progressive power. Each political race is important, but we challenge ourselves to keep our eye on the big picture as well.

During the Measure T and Gallegos campaigns, there was some coordination between campaigns, but most of the voter outreach coordination happened late in the process. As we prepared for the November elections, we hoped we could foster better coordination between campaigns from the beginning, ensuring that the campaigns shared resources with each other rather than competing.

We determined our skills and resources would be best used for voter contact and outreach, focusing on ensuring that every supportive voter went to the polls on Election Day. Local Solutions directors, as individuals or as a group, have managed voter contact, volunteer recruitment, and Get Out the Vote (GOTV) operations in many successful campaigns, including the attempted recall of the District Attorney, the Humboldt campaign against the Schwarzenegger Special Election propositions in November 2005, Chris Kerrigan’s re-election campaign, Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap’s campaign for Water District, Measure T and key components of the Gallegos re-election campaign.

Local Solutions presented a Coordinated Campaign proposal to the endorsed candidates and their campaign teams. It described how the campaigns could work together to maximize voter outreach, build energy and enthusiasm, and minimize the strain on financial and volunteer resources. We offered trainings on campaign management, candidate training, phonebank management, volunteer recruitment and coordination, and campaign finance reporting. We offered this assistance at a cost of $750 to each campaign. This amount represented a portion of the cost we would incur to create an organized system for voter outreach and GOTV that would be coordinated between all campaigns.

The candidates and the campaigns had a lukewarm response to our proposal, and in the end they decided not to work with us to implement a coordinated campaign. We failed to communicate our vision of the campaign process, and we underestimated the trepidation on the part of candidates and campaigns to work together. It was harder than we imagined to abandon the conventional wisdom, that elections are based on a model of scarcity: Someone will win, everyone else will lose. When winning becomes the only goal of a campaign, each decision becomes based on fear—rather than what is most likely to build skills, knowledge, power, and create a supportive community culture for everyone involved. It is our understanding that eventually the campaigns did work together on their phonebank and GOTV efforts, however the system was difficult to implement effectively by the time that decision was made.

The campaigns were also eager to work with Richard Salzman, a campaign advisor who has a very different attitude about elections than we do. Based upon multiple experiences, we know that Richard wants to win at all costs and spend a lot of money doing it. We appreciate Richard’s hard work, but we decided earlier in the summer that we could no longer work with him. This was no doubt awkward for everyone, but after much internal discussion, it was determined that we needed to be clear that we do politics differently.

While we did not participate in the November election nearly as much as we originally planned, we also did not entirely sit it out. We produced and distributed a direct mailer to progressive Eureka voters, and directed volunteers and donations to the campaigns when individuals came to us asking how they could get involved. We invested $4500 in preparation for the 2006 election, but the resources were largely unused by the campaigns.

This election was an important one for Eureka, and the whole county. Compared to the last several election cycles, the results are certainly a setback for progressives. But it is important that we learn from our mistakes as well as our successes. Let’s move forward and continue working to build a more democratic, sustainable, equitable, and just community. We stand as committed as ever to serve that vision and the people who work so hard to bring it forward. We welcome your questions and suggestions for the future.

P.S. In July 2006, Local Solutions made a formal policy not to facilitate indirect campaign contributions to campaigns. We adopted this policy in the interest of ensuring full disclosure of campaign contributions to the public. We understand this is different from the function of most Political Action Committees, but we believe it is in keeping with the principles of our organization. All of the funds received by Local Solutions go directly back into grassroots organizing efforts.

35 comments:

first the trees foundation burns EPIC for 200,000$, now progressives politicos are back biting each other in antisipation of 07 elaections.It's sad but predictable to see that they will eat their own babies over the money.

It's not actually Earth First! that's suing but an outside donor named Katherine Miller. Why she would want to give so much money to Earth First (which doesn't even exist in Humboldt anymore) is beyond me.

its very telling that LS says their x-partners win at all cost is a problem. BUT go on to say "at local soulations we care most about building a grass roots movement for PROGRESSIVE POWER. Power and money. We knew that. What a great thing for Eureka that the elections seated mostly folks who care more about the city than some POWER PLAY.

Arcata -- North Coast Earth First! announced Thursday that it had filed suit in Humboldt Superior Court accusing the Trees Foundation of Garberville misappropriating a large donation meant for the NCEF Media Center.

In a press release, North Coast Earth First! (NCEF) said Kathryn Miller originally attempted to make a $185,000 donation to the Media center in April 2005. Miller later asked the NCEF about the status of her donation, and was told it had not been delivered, according to the press release.

NCEF says Miller then contacted the Trees Foundation, which has refused to deliver the donation to NCEF or return the donation to the donor, and has not responded to Miller's requests for an accounting of the funds.

”It's disgusting and disappointing what has happened with the Trees Foundation,” the NCEF quoted Miller as saying, “and we hope that it can be resolved quickly, so that we can get back to work for the forests.”

It would be interesting for Local Solutions and the secular-progressives to actually speak the English language and explain to the electorate what their mission really is. It will not happen, for the reason that if it became actually known, the Bozos would fail based on merit. They do not like; religion of any kind, they do not want school vouchers, they do not want any judgements made on personal behavior, drug use in their mind is OK and shouldn't be regulated, nor even questioned. The real enemy at least locally are the corporations. And there are just a few folks whom know what is best for us, our children and our grandchildren. Sorry, I'm not willing to trust Ted (I let her drown) Kennedy, nor George Soros with the future of this great country. Roy

Looks to me like Twombly is still IN with localsolutions... Twombly, an original Green Party member, changed his voter registration to become a Registered Republican, so he could say "the PAC is nonpartisan. (It) supports progressive candidates from the Republican, Democratic, Green or any other party affiliation,” Twombly said. “The (PAC’s) board is multiparty."

Think again. Twombly was quite explicit as to "localsolutions" agenda (as was the website) - "Twombly continued. “We believe that a local solution needs to be found to save Pacific Lumber and make it a sustainable community operation again, and we are researching employee stock ownership plans, community buy-outs and legal actions against Hurwitz and MAXXAM to recover damages to workers, land and watersheds."

5:46 - I hope you were being facetious. You had BETTER be paying your own bills. Roy has no "fat bank account"; I know, I'm his wife. Our concern is that our beloved country not be taken over by "progressive" (socialist) agendas at all; but certainly not to the point that we don't even recognize this nation anymore. As the Beatles once sang, "It's getting harder every day"... Nancy

As promised, here's an .mp3 of the KMUD interview regarding the recent fraud suit filed against the Trees Foundation.

I was interviewed, along with the lawyer in the suit, and then KMUD had a representative from the Trees Foundation on. Notice how she calls the situation "amusing" and speaks of "soldiering on;" the fact that she calls this tragedy "amusing" goes right along with the lawyer's analysis of their attitude as being "high-handed and arrogant" throughout this situation, and the idea of "soldiering on" displays somewhat of a war mentality, instead of making every effort to make things right with the donor.

Here's another article about the lawsuit against the Trees Foundation http://times- standard. com/local/ ci_4450557

"Earth First!" isn't really suing the Trees Foundation, per se, it's more the case that a private individual, who tried to make a large donation to NCEF!, is suing the Trees Foundation for never delivering the donation to the intended recipients.

The Times-Standard published this article without contacting our media office, and apparently misunderstood the press release. Go figure.

Anyhow, I can tell you that this case does have merit, and many of us are appalled that the Trees Foundation would disrespect the wishes of the donor, and would completely stonewall any attempts to resolve the situation out of court.

I'll be testifying in court if this situation isn't taken care of soon.Earth First!

Arcata, CA- A civil lawsuit was filed in Humboldt Superior Court today, against the Trees Foundation of Garberville, CA. The lawsuit alleges contractual fraud, a common count, and breach of contract, after a large donation intended for North Coast Earth First! Media center was misappropriated by the Trees Foundation.

Ms. Kathryn Miller originally attempted to make a $185,000 donation to the NCEF! Media center, in April 2005. After making the donation, Ms. Miller moved to Guatemala, and had her house and orchard destroyed by hurricane Stan. After a year of recovering from the hurricane, Ms. Miller contacted the NCEF! Media center to inquire about the status of her donation, at which time she was informed that her donation had not been delivered to its intended recipient.

Ms. Miller then contacted the Trees Foundation, who has refused to deliver the donation to NCEF! Media, refused to return the donation to the donor, and have not yet provided accounting for the funds, despite requests from Ms. Miller and promises from the Trees Foundation.

Since the Trees Foundation has refused to honor the donor’s intentions, a civil lawsuit has been filed today, case # DR060660. Arcata-based attorney Greg Allen will be representing Ms. Miller, and further remedies will also be pursued.

Kathryn Miller had the following to say about the situation: “It’s disgusting and disappointing what has happened with the Trees Foundation, and we hope that it can be resolved quickly, so that we can get back to work for the forests,” said Ms. Miller.

'Here's an article about this awful situation from the Press Democrat....

This story is true, folks, I witnessed the whole thing, and will testify in this lawsuit.

It's really disgusting that the Trees Foundation would do this, while we scrape by on a shoestring budget from month to month. The donation was intended for us, and we should have gotten it; instead, the Trees Foundation decided to keep it for themselves. We all hope that this matter can be settled very soon.

A nationally known North Coast environmental organization was accused Thursday of keeping a $185,000 donation intended for Earth First activists.

The nonprofit Trees Foundation, a mainstay of environmental activism since 1991, allegedly used the money for other purposes despite the expressed wishes of the donor, according to a civil lawsuit filed in Humboldt County Superior Court.

"We haven't seen the lawsuit, but I can say it's without merit," said Barsotti. She declined to discuss specific allegations.

But environmentalist Kathryn Miller, who said she divides her time between Humboldt County and Guatemala, contended that she made arrangements with the foundation to oversee a fund to benefit the North Coast Earth First Media Center in Arcata. It's headed by organizer Shunka Wakan.

The Trees Foundation has a practice of allowing donors to use the organization' s tax-exempt status to set up special funds to benefit designated recipients.

"Any interest earned on the account prior to the money being dispersed is considered Trees Foundation's fee for this service," according to the organization' s Web site.

Miller said in early 2005 she decided to donate $185,000 inherited from her mother's estate to the Earth First center.

Miller said the Trees Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization, agreed to hold the money for the exclusive use and benefit of the Earth First center.

"Since I was spending so much time in Guatemala, I believed I needed someone locally to administer these funds," said Miller.

But earlier this summer, Miller said she learned that none of the money had been turned over to the center.

In fact, Miller said she received a letter dated July 6 that informed her the Trees Foundation had "deposited the fund into our general operating account, and we've been using them for the benefit of dozens of groups and hundreds of activists."

Miller said she decided to file the lawsuit after demands for return of her donation and an accounting of the spending went unheeded.

So, poor Shunka is left to send out steady pleas for donations. He adopted the "Local Solutions" solution:North Coast Earth First! $10-a-month support visionHello friends!

Here's a simple way for you to support the efforts of North Coast Earth First! It's a very minimal commitment, yet one that could make a world of difference.. ..

The $10-a-month support ideaI'm sending this October 2006 reminder out a bit early this month because the local co-op, where we normally "table" for donations, is being renovated this week.

We normally set up a table in front of the local co-op, with literature, CDs/DVDs, t-shirts, a donation can, and a live person for people to talk with about Earth First! issues. "Tabling" is the main way that we support the day-to-day needs of our non-violent campaign, and your online and mailed-in donations definitely help to supplement the sometimes tedious and time-consuming efforts of tabling. Since we're unable to table, and the NCEF! Media office rent is due in a few days, I thought I'd send out this fundraising e-mail a few days early, hope you don't mind. I'm happy to report that four new people signed up for the automatic monthly donation last month, while several others made one- time donations. Thank you so very much, and know that your donations do make a difference, and are an immense help to our efforts!

For all the new folks, here's the idea...if just 100 people, out of the billions of people on this Earth, could commit to donating just $10 per month to North Coast Earth First!, our campaign would be rockin'! We are currently on the severe shoestring budget, and barely have enough to cover the basic costs of operations. With even 50 people participating, at least our basic monthly expenses (office rent, pagers, phones, storage, etc.) would be covered. With 100 people, though, we would have enough of an excess to be able to throw benefits, order t-shirts, and spend more of our time doing outreach and actions, rather than having to fundraise so much just to keep the boat afloat. I've tried to come up with the easiest, most low- impact way for a lot of people to get involved in the campaign to save some of the last Old Growth Redwoods and Douglas Fir trees left on Earth. I know that times are tough for many people, and the cost of living just keeps rising; please help North Coast Earth First! survive these very challenging times as well. Earth First!

Make a one-time donation or sign up for automatic monthly donations

With winter approaching, your help is going to be more valuable than ever. Tabling in the rainy months is no picnic, so alternate sources of support is really helpful during these times. Thanks again! Earth First!Forever Wild,

It looks like EF! did not understand the fiscal sponsorship agreement they signed with Trees. Trees has the non-profit #, and EF! is a "fiscally sponsored project of the Trees Foundation". There are limitations and stipulations on how $$ can be used and how it is dispersed. This is so everyone stays "legal" and protected. Perhaps Miller also did not understand that. If EF! wants to completely control all their $$, they need to form their own individual non-profit. Not a judgement -- just an opinion.

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Paul Gallegos

The Humboldt County Grand Jury found that "Weak leadership and poor managerial practices" have undermined the office... Implicit in all evidence gathered by the Grand Jury - including interviews with the D.A. (Paul Gallegos) - is the unfortunate truth that the D.A. (Paul Gallegos) exhibits a limited understanding of how things are done in the department" Gallegos "lacks the global perspective needed to keep the department operating efficiently," and quotes an unnamed staff member as saying, "The D.A. (Paul Gallegos) does not fully understand the functionality of many of the things we do here" - Years later, in his own words: "I’m not an administrator, they didn’t elect me to be an administrator, they elected me to make sure this office runs..."

It’s still heresy to say it out loud, but the great secret of the Gallegos constituency is how many people in the camp are, truth be told, sick to death of the man. I have seen radical lefty Humboldt State professors roll their eyes and gag when his name comes up. I have talked to more than one person on his endorsement list who half-hates himself for allowing his name to be used. The question is: What will these people do in the privacy of the voting booth?Hank Sims

Gallegos on Measure T

6 minute VIDEO Click on the pic Anonymous: Gallegos looks and sounds like he either had been drinking or hitting off his bong. What a nut.... Anonymous: My favorite Gallegos moment in this snippet is when he says he supports Measure T for two reasons and holds up one finger to emphasize the point.

PleaDealsRUS

Letting Bad Guys Off Easy Since 2003

Douglas & Zanotti

CASE TOSSED The district attorney misrepresented the law and failed to provide evidence of former Eureka Police Chief David Douglas' and Lt. Tony Zanotti's innocence during a criminal grand jury inquiry into the 2006 shooting death of Cheri Lyn Moore, defense attorneys argued in court documents filed Thursday... ”Our judicial system stands as a real and necessary check on the grand jury indictment process,” one of the documents states. “This court has the authority and the means by which to halt this prosecution, which is justified neither by the undisputed facts, nor by the law.”

Gallegos has taken what was "arguably the state's best small DA's office, with a cutting edge CAST program that "trained the trainers"... into a bunch of time serving bureaucratic wannabee brown nosers, lightly sprinkled with a couple of earnest learners who are sure to split as soon as possible.

One weeps for Max Cardoza who won Angellel, and for Maggie Fleming who won so many impossible victories. Mired in Humboldt for personal reasons, they have to suffer the ignominy of working for Paul, with Yougo, yes, yougo who has freed more people as a prosecutor than he did as a defense attorney. As has Paul. Anonymous comment

Gallegos has answers for everything. I’ve never met anyone whose answers came so quickly, with such polish - except about his law school(s). He likely sounded the same way when promising to get prosecutors off their anachronistic “at will” status and onto civil service status. It never happened. Indeed, he told them, “Disloyalty will not be tolerated” – a real morale builder.

He sounds great. What progressive doesn’t want to believe in him? But it’s a myth. He’s an intellectual lightweight and self-aggrandizer who tries to please everybody with glib answers. Jim Fahey for The Arcata Eye

The Humboldt County DA's office is one of the most exciting prosecutorialoffices in California.

Its District Attorney, Paul Gallegos, is willing to charge anyone who commitswrongdoing--no matter how wealthy, sacrosanct, or ruthless. He believes in total equality before the law. He also plans to be innovative in promoting programs of prevention and treatment. He wants to make it the best prosecutorial office of its size in the nation.... Gallegos' Help Wanted ad

Plagiarism

1980 Murder

Gallegos' OWN Quotes

★ ...District Attorney Paul Gallegos said he believes the statute of limitations clock, even on misdemeanors, doesn't start running until law enforcement knows or reasonably should have known of the offense. In this case, Gallegos said, that means the statute of limitations would not run out at least until Feb. 8, 2009, or one year after Gundersen's arrest and the discovery of the photographs in question...

★ “I never said that the information was not available under the Freedom of Information Act. Quite the contrary, I informed you that our use of force policy is not a public record.” Paul Gallegos to the Times Standard 5/25/07

★ ...“One is that I do everything to make people happy which means I don’t stand for anything except for just something,” he said. “The other is I stand for something and I try to be a leader and take some people, a group of people, a community someplace and I say guess what folks, this is who I am. I stand for your beliefs. We share these beliefs or we don’t. You get the option to judge that. This is who I am and I am committed to leading us this place, wherever it is...." Eureka Reporter Gallegos defends record, looks ahead 7/3/2005

★ Note the difference between what he SAID, and what he DOES..."...So what are these issues? Top on Gallegos' list is the proliferation of "garbage cases," small-time crimes and overcharged cases that he said are clogging up the court system.

Garbage cases, said Gallegos, come in two forms: Cases that would lose if actually brought to trial and cases that are overcharged for the crimes committed. The idea behind filing both kinds of garbage, he said, is to get the defendant to plead guilty, netting a conviction without having to go into court.

Again, the IRONY is astounding! Look at what he SAYS, and then think about what he DOES! "Probably 95 percent of the cases that are filed plead guilty. In fact, there are a lot of cases that are filed on the assumption they will plead guilty, because of the time and expense involved in defending them. But these cases shouldn't even be filed in the first place, because if they were challenged, they would lose," Gallegos said. Better yet: If they weren't filed at all, it would save the county time and money...." North Coast Journal 2/21/02 Too bad he didn't take his own advice.

★ “Tim’s a stud,” he said. “He really is; anyone would be stoked to have him.” Gallegos on his second in command right hand man Assistant District Attorney Tim Stoen. (Former second in command right hand man to Jim Jones/People's Temple.)

NOT GUILTY!

"This is not the crime of the century. I'll concede that entirely." Humboldt County DA Paul Gallegos on the Toddler Wandering case, where he threw the full weight of the law against an innocent father. The jury took a couple of minutes to sign the papers needed to find him not guilty. Only one example of Gallegos' schizophrenic pattern of pursuing cases.

Local serial killer

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NOTE:

"Helping Crush Progressivism" - ie: exposing the predatory litigious orgs and those who seek power for power's sake.... The original purpose of watchpaul is to post important documents relating to Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos and his handlers who seek to gain power through the acquisition of political offices. This includes, but is not limited to, the manipulations of "Humboldt Watershed Council," "EPIC," "Baykeeper," and other activist groups - the unregulated orgs. It also includes the master manipulators, such as Richard Salzman and Ken Miller.

Links to key stories and documents are also included in the sidebar, so that you do not have to try to scroll back through what has become a lengthy series of posts. I encourage you to use the Search and Labels features as well.

NOTE:

The Eureka Reporter ceased publication and pulled all online archives. Links to ER stories will no longer work. Some stories have been saved on watchpaul.articles, the rest can, hopefully, be accessed at the Humboldt State University Library.